To J. D. Hooker   [3 May 1857]

My dear Hooker

I have just received your final & most conclusive destruction of woolly-alpine doctrine.¹ I sh^d. hope that these materials (now returned) would be well worth publishing in something:—

Would they not come in well in your Arctic memoir;² so that I do not apologise for having been the means of stirring you up to prove that your old suspicions were thoroughily well grounded.

It has given my nervous system, as a compiler, a severe shock; I am sure to publish many small generalisations as false as you have shown this to be.— Whenevever you turn to Arctic work, bear in mind Linnæus & Adamson’s remark about flowers becoming apelatous in cold, & therefore Arctic species ought to be normally apetalous in many cases.—³

I am not sure whether you meant me to return you your note accompanying your Statistics, if so, let me hear & I will return it.⁴

I return Asa Gray’s list of Alpines.—

I suppose you will soon have back M^rs. Hooker.— Her presence has been a great thing for Etty, & pray give her my best thanks for all her kindness to Etty.

My dear Hooker | Most truly yours | Ch. Darwin